Retainers & Flat-Fee Packages

Some matters can’t wait. Retainers and flat-fee packages give your firm guaranteed access, priority scheduling, and predictable billing, so you can expand capacity without scrambling or losing profit.

Predictable Support, Profitable Results

Retainer Agreements

Why choose a retainer?

  • Priority access: Your projects move to the front of the line.

  • Predictable billing: Reserved hours at a fixed monthly rate.

  • Rate certainty: Locked at the low end of the hourly range.

  • Flexibility: Retainers in 20-hour blocks; unused hours roll over 60 days.

Retainers guarantee capacity when you need it most — without payroll overhead.

  • Ideal for ongoing estate planning, drafting, and general paralegal support.

    • Trusts, wills, and ancillary estate planning documents

    • Trust funding assignments and beneficiary designations

    • Routine client correspondence, calendaring, and compliance tracking

    • Overflow support to expand firm capacity

    Minimum commitment: 20 hours ($3,000)

  • Specialized support for post-death administration, distributions, and fiduciary compliance.

    • Asset marshaling and inventories

    • Subtrust allocations and funding

    • Beneficiary notices and reporting (attorney-reviewed)

    • Fiduciary accountings in attorney-ready format

    Minimum commitment: 20 hours ($3,500)

  • Advanced paralegal support for estate tax return preparation and audit-conscious documentation.

    • Draft Form 706 with all schedules and elections

    • Gift tax tracking and GST allocations

    • QTIP elections and trust integration

    • Attorney- and CPA-ready filing packages

    Minimum commitment: 20 hours ($4,000)

Flat-Fee Packages

Flat-fee packages provide cost certainty for your firm and transparency for your clients. They turn open-ended projects into client-ready deliverables that are profitable and predictable.

Ideal for:

  • Trust Administration Milestones: First 90 days, ongoing administration, or final distribution/wrap-up.

  • Estate Planning Packages: Individual, couple, or combined plan with trust funding.

  • Custom Projects: Complex gifting transactions, Form 706 prep, or other defined matters.

Flat-fee packages turn complex projects into predictable, client-ready deliverables that keep your margins in-house.

Estate Planning & Trust Funding Packages

  • Estate Plan (Single Person): $1,200 –$1,800

    Estimated range of hours: 8–12
    Includes: revocable living trust, pour-over will, durable powers of attorney, advance health care directive, HIPAA authorization, trust certificate, trust asset schedule, and ancillary documents (if applicable).

  • Estate Plan (Couple): $1,800–$2,250

    Estimated range of hours: 12–15
    Includes: joint revocable trust, reciprocal pour-over wills, durable powers of attorney, advance health care directives, HIPAA authorizations, trust certificate, trust asset schedule, and ancillary documents for both spouses (if applicable).

  • Trust Funding: $900–$2,250+

    Estimate range of hours: 6–15+ (can vary greatly depending on asset mix, number of assets)
    Includes: preparing deeds and assessor forms, account re-titling, beneficiary designations, assignments of personal property/business interests, and a funding memo.

  • Estate Plan + Trust Funding (Single Person or Couple): $2,100–$4,500+

    Includes: Everything included in the Estate Plan (Single Person) or Estate Plan (Couple) packages, as well as everything included in the Trust Funding package.

Trust Administration Packages

  • A full-service flat-fee engagement covering the entire lifecycle of a standard trust administration from post-death compliance through final distribution.

    Scope of services typically includes:

    • Beneficiary notifications and statutory compliance

    • EIN application and successor trustee accounts

    • Asset inventory, coordination of valuations, and trust recordkeeping

    • Ongoing support for trustee in managing expenses and distributions

    • Fiduciary accountings (1–2 standard accountings over 12–24 months)

    • Coordination with CPA for fiduciary income tax filings

    • Coordination with CPA for estate tax return (if applicable)

    • Final wrap-up, including closing accountings, receipts/releases, and distributions

    Standard Trust Admin → $7,000 (≈ 40 hrs @ $175)

  • High-value and multi-beneficiary trusts often involve complicated distribution plans, unusual assets, and heightened risk for errors. I provide specialized paralegal support to manage every stage of complex administrations efficiently and accurately, always under attorney supervision.

    Services include:

    • Subtrust allocations and funding (A/B/C, GST, marital, bypass, ILITs, CRUTs/CRATs, etc.)

    • Fractional interest distributions and detailed allocation schedules

    • Parent–child property tax exclusion tracking and related documentation

    • Preparation of transfer documents and distribution deeds

    • Trust accountings

    • Coordination of valuations and appraisals for real property, business interests, and other unique assets

      Complex Trust Admin → $15,000 (≈ 80 hrs @ $188)

  • The initial (first 90 days) phase of a trust administration is often the most intense period of work, and this a great standalone option for firms who want a strong start.

    Scope of services typically includes:

    • File notices of death & initial communications

    • Inventory & marshal assets (accounts, deeds, insurance, etc.)

    • Order appraisals as needed

    • Prepare initial allocation summaries (but not final funding)

    • Track deadlines (taxes, notices, creditor claims)

    • Set up trust administration binder/file system

      Initial Trust Admin → $3,500-$7,000 (≈ 20-40 hrs @ $175)

  • By preparing clear accountings, distribution documents, and releases in attorney-ready form, I help ensure the final phase of the trust administration is completed cleanly, compliantly, and with reduced risk for the trustee.

    Scope of services typically includes:

    • Prepare fiduciary accountings

    • Draft distribution documents, receipts, and releases

    • Coordinate final tax filings (with CPA, if applicable)

    • Document compliance for trustee discharge

    • Close out subtrusts

    Final Distribution Admin → $3,500-$7,000 (≈ 20-40 hrs @ $175)
    (Complex distributions with multiple beneficiaries or subtrusts may run higher.)

Don’t see a flat-rate package that fits your needs? I’m happy to work with you to develop a customized package.